Tesco Ireland has taken delivery of 50 state-of-the-art biomethane-fueled trucks that will operate across the company’s countrywide distribution network. Biomethane, a renewable energy source produced from organic waste, offers a cleaner alternative to traditional fossil fuels.
These new biomethane trucks are coming on stream as part of Tesco’s comprehensive strategy to reduce its carbon footprint and enhance the environmental sustainability of its operations.
The trucks will immediately replace 50 diesel units, reducing tailpipe carbon emissions by up to 90%. The biomethane fleet will be operated by Tesco’s transport partner DHL, and the trucks will be used to transport produce to stores from Tesco distribution centers in Dublin.
“The commitment by Tesco to introduce 50 biomethane trucks into their national fleet is very welcome news,” says Darragh O’Brien, Minister for Housing, Local Government & Heritage, speaking from Tesco’s distribution center in Donabate. “Ireland’s road haulage sector makes up 20% of the total road transport emissions in Ireland, so it is incumbent on companies like Tesco with their partners DHL, to play their part in helping to drive down our overall carbon emissions.”
“Our network is one of the most sophisticated distribution networks in the country,” adds Ger Counihan, Tesco Ireland Retail & Distribution director. “More than 1,800 journeys are made from our distribution centers every week to our 177 stores. We have worked hard with DHL to prepare for the switch from diesel to biomethane trucks, and this move to cleaner energy will reduce the carbon emissions created by this fleet considerably.”
The renewable fuel for the trucks will come from Irish and European anaerobic digestion plants, and the trucks will refuel at the newly opened BioCNG refueling station operated by Flogas at nearby St Margaret’s in north Dublin.
Each truck has a range capacity of 700 kilometers on a full tank of biomethane gas, which allows Tesco to reach any of its 177 stores and return without refueling. Each tractor will complete an average of 15 to 20 truckloads of store deliveries across Ireland each week from Letterkenny to Kerry to Dublin.
